How to Fall in Love with Your Spouse
by TAYYABALARAIB
Summary: While Itachi taught her to lean on him, Sasuke taught her how to stand on her own two feet. Arranged marriage AU. (Not a love triangle)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **Hey guys. How are you all doing? I can't believe it's been two years since I last updated this fic. When I started this story, I was very unfamiliar with the whole idea of writing. I had an entire plot figured out but with time I realized that there were too many holes and I couldn't work with it any longer. But you all seemed to like my story so I'm approaching it with a different angle. I hope you guys like it just as much.**

 **Disclaimer : Don't own Naruto.**

 **Excuse my errors.**

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It was a hot, moist day in August; the sun glaring down all its fury making the cicadas cry out in protest. Her head poked from behind an oak tree, byakugan fixed on the tall walls marred with famous uchiwa insignia, spying. Two guards walked the parameter - south, east and west - while one stood watch at the gates, neither _standing_ nor _watching_ ; she noted. "W-what do you see, Hinata-sama?"

The said girl turned to her partner, restless and fidgeting in her spot, a plea danced in her eyes which Hinata pretended to not see. "T-there are three guards in total, including the g-gatekeeper who seems to be asleep. It takes approximately five m-minutes for the other guards to cover one side. The one p-patrolling the west border is covering south too. We a-approach the compound through the forest in west when he turns south and sneak in through the front gates." She punctuated her statement with a smile as if it were the most fool-proof plan in the history of all plans. Her partner begged to differ though.

The heat had forced her hand to abandon her beige jacket but her dark cotton undershirt still clung to her skin. Hinata wondered if the beads of perspiration rolling down her forehead was contribution of the warm weather alone. Never had she been this intimidated by gates before. Or maybe she had, that one time she arrived late at the Hyuuga compound and the punishment that followed, justifying her fear. Yet when her cousin asked her if she was sure, Hinata could only flash a confident smile. "Of course, Akira-san. I wouldn't be doing it if I weren't."

Guilt tugged hard at her conscience for taking advantage of Akira's feelings. The younger girl looked up to her like one did their idol, sparkly eyes and floating hearts. No one would've supported her on this madness but her. And that was what made her consider retreating several times, each time the idea being swatted ruthlessly by Hanabi's feverish face flashing in her mind's eye.

Nothing else would matter then.

The heart of an older sibling is a crazy, _crazy_ thing.

Staying loyal to their plan, the duo lingered in the shadows and waited until the guard disappeared. Their fingers slipped through the familiar hand signs of a henge that replaced the paleness of their eyes with caramel of a Nara's. The two clans allowed unauthorized entry to the other's clan members into their compound and they would use this trust to their advantage.

The wall kept the sun away, two black blobs shifted through the darkness. The gatekeeper was snoring in his chair, much to their relief. Hinata bypassed him to sneak in first and Akira followed.

"Hold it right there."

In so many ways, the sound of his voice reminded Hinata of her fateful duel with Neji. It was like his gentle fist slamming into her ribcage, ripping her heart. Her body turned cold under the sizzling sun, her breath trapped in her lungs. Later, she'd vaguely remember Akira's pale face over the loud swish of blood in her ears. Death stared in their faces, big and scary and dark eyed. Did she really think she could accomplish this without screwing up? With her skills and luck? Stupid, _stupid_ her.

Her father would be so disappointed in her. She doubted he'd ever talk to her again that is saying, _if_ she came out of this alive. She wasn't Hanabi - stronger, smarter Hanabi who snuck into the Uchiha compound every other day. She came no where near. Her luck seemed to have been exhausted getting her through Hanako's eventful pregnancy. The rest was Kami's mercy that had gotten her this far. That too, now, felt like she'd run out of. "Did you really think you could get pass me, huh?"

The man was a giant compared to the two of them, towering over them a good couple of feet. He looked every part menacing, save for the weariness in his eyes. A whimper escaped Akira while Hinata barely managed, "N-n-no s-sir."

"You thought I was asleep, didn't you? Well guess what, I sleep with an eye open."

"W-we're sorry U-uchiha-san."

"A sorry won't do. I'll have to report you two to Fugaku-san who'll decide your punishment."

It was all Akira could take before she broke down and surrendered. "Ple-please don't. We're sorry, Uchiha-san. We-we-we didn't know any better. Please let us go. It won't happen again." She wailed while Hinata stood petrified; mind, body frozen.

The man sighed. "Fine. But don't let me catch you two again without entering your name first or I won't be so forgiving." The two girls followed his finger towards a bulky notebook resting beside his chair on a small table. They exchanged looks before moving to it sheepishly. The gatekeeper plopped down in his chair and was out instantly.

They walked inside on stiff limbs, lost in their thoughts until Akira stopped in her tracks. "Hinata-sama. We should go back."

Hinata eyed her questioningly, "after coming this far?"

" _Far_? The hard part's just started. Look around you!" They were only a drop in the sea of Uchiha, armed with one of the most deadliest dojutsu. It took only one to get caught. "It's dangerous."

Hinata understood that they were still reeling from the near brush with disaster, standing on trembling limbs now that the effects of adrenaline was ebbing away. How had he not seen through their poor henge, Hinata had no clue. It was, undoubtedly, a rare stroke of good fortune that they shouldn't question and get out of there while they still could. But then...

 _"Uchiha senbei is the best, nee-chan." She managed through a mouthful. "You have no idea how good it is."_

"You're right. It doesn't get any easier from here." A smile touched, grateful and sad. "But I can't go back now. Hanabi's counting on me."

Akira rolled her eyes. "It's just a flu, Hinata-sama."

"I'm aware." She bowed. "Thank you for your help, Akira-chan. I won't keep you any longer."

She nodded. "Please be careful." And then she was gone.

So much for sparkly eyes and floating hearts.

Hinata kept her head down as she walked through the compound. Her hair veiled her face. She made sure to keep to the less crowded parts, opting for scarier, silent streets. The fact that Uchiha senbei was located in busier parts of the town didn't help her case, she kept on still.

The smell of brown-sugar and freshly baked bread introduced her to the place. An elderly woman managed it, sweet and smiling. She was pleasantly surprised with the warmth she extended her way, offering her a cup of tea to go with the crackers since it was her first time visiting her shop. Hinata declined with a heavy heart, doubting that she'd have received the same kindness had she known she was a Hyuuga, the heiress at that.

She was really craving a cup of tea.

But the rice crackers in her hand were what really tested her self-control, staring temptingly at her from the bag pressed to her chest. She didn't even realize that she had slowed down, coming to a halt few meters from the exit. Despite being not too big on it, Hinata broke a piece and popped it in her mouth.

It crunched loud under her teeth, attesting for their freshness. Senbei never really tasted like anything to Hinata but she could detect some sort of spice in it that gave it a unique taste. Something like...

"You there, stop."

Hinata turned slowly towards the source of the sound and almost chocked on the mouthful when she identified the owner of the voice. She would've dropped the paper bag had her arms not been frozen. The air, for the second time that day, turned cold around her and she colder.

 _Shushin no Shisui..._

"You're not from around here." He scanned her from head to toe through slitted eyes and finally settled for her face. She could already sense his chakra preparing for a fight and knew instantly that she was doomed. The guy was notorious for his speed, she couldn't outrun him even if she tried. And fighting was never an option to begin with. "Identify yourself."

She opened her mouth to answer but couldn't summon a word. Hinata looked down at the item sitting innocently in arms and wondered how something so simple turned so disastrous. Then again, she was Hinata. Disaster was her middle name. "I-I..."

"Tachibana-san." Another voice rang and Hinata was ready to faint.

Uchiha Itachi jumped down a building to land a few inches from her. His mellow disposition would have confused had her mind been working - one would think to approach a stranger, an intruder, with more caution but he stood beside her relaxed, almost familiar. "You should know better to leave without informing someone first."

"Itachi. You know her?"

"Mother is having her for tea and while she is preparing some snacks, I thought I would show Tachibana-san around town." The older Uchiha eyed him suspiciously. "It would be a shame if she left without a tour of our beautiful compound, especially the Headquarters. It's a work of genius. How else would one contain such powerful criminals in one place? "

Her mouth went dry.

Only her luck would leave her strangled with the two strongest shinobi of Konoha.

 _Wait for me kaa-san. I'm on my way._

Shisui sighed. "Just don't get yourself in trouble." He offered Hinata a threatening glare before flickering out of sight.

 _His title does him justice._

She was brought out of her musings by Itachi's voice. "Follow me, please", and she obliged wordlessly. The ease from moments earlier seemed to have abandoned him as he walked with his head held high and his back straight - a true warrior's gait. Despite the circumstances that had lead her there, she didn't mind dying by his hand. _It's an honor. He is an admirable shinobi._

"Your sister is better at it than you are." Hinata's head shot to his with wide eyes. _He knows?_ " But is it worth it?" He turned then, looking down at the paper bag in her hands.

Hinata followed his line of sight and nodded. "H-Hanabi-chan l-likes it so I guess."

Something flashed in his eyes, something akin to understanding. "I respect your sense of duty as an older sibling but _we_ are not unaware. Please do not mistake our dismissal for our ignorance." She realized then that they were at gates, that he was letting her go unanswered, that he had accompanied her there to keep her out of trouble in case she ran into another Uchiha. And despite everything she was told about them, of their cruelty and traitorous nature, she wasn't confused. Kindness fitted him well. He had such soft eyes and it contradicted with everything she knew him to be. Because it had been drilled into her mind that kindness was weakness, that if she wished to exceed every other at being a shinobi, she'd have to erase every sign of it from her heart. Yet here he was, Uchiha Itachi, one of the best, delivering her safely to the gates even when their worlds clashed like water and fire. "Please be careful on your way home."

Hinata felt like there should be more, that their goodbye shouldn't be left at a simple instruction escaping his lips thoughtlessly, as sweet as it may be. Why should she be the only one to think back fondly of their encounter? "I-it's a shame." It was as if she saw him pause his thoughts about leaving. "M-my clan will never know w-what they're missing out on." She patted the brown bag in her arms, like an affectionate mother with a child. How many things have they been denied unknowingly because of this dispute between the two clans? Hinata thought just as the words left her mouth.

"Do you wish it were any other way?"

Had she imagined it or was his voice a tad bit deeper just now? Regardless, it did its job wonderfully and she found herself spellbound. "I do now."

His eyes glinted and he struggled with the smile trying to lift the corner of his lip. "I _too_ wonder sometimes what the Hyuuga clan specializes in besides, of course, their juuken."

Her face burned now that the realization of what just transpired set in. She turned quickly with a rushed "good day" and ran away, clutching the bag of senbei to her chest for dear life, nerves a disarray, something tingly stirring in the pit of her stomach. She wouldn't have confused this feeling with embarrassment had she been anyone but _her_.

And he was left to stare after her retreating back, wishing for things he had never before wished.

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 **Please leave a review if it isn't too much trouble.**

 **Tayyabalaraib.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Author's Note (PLEASE READ) : To those who asked where the previous update was, I am rewriting this story from scratch so chap 1 WAS the update. Go check it out if you haven't. To those who reviewed, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.**

 **Disclaimer : Don't own Naruto.**

 **Excuse my errors.**

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 _Failures_ _are a shinobi's greatest mentors because in the face of inevitability, it is '_ what not to do' _that determine the outcome. So let it be your guidance and not your weakness. Identify your mistakes, remember and keep away._

Shards of glass crunched under his sandaled feet carrying through the devastated domain. His dark eyes scanned the area, taking in the broken windows and unhinged doors, furniture unfurled in the wake of destruction. The moans of the injured and medics' rushed footfalls were an anthem too intimate, the loud silence ringing in his ears after a battle.

 _Perhaps they should take their own word for it._

He questioned their intellect sometimes. At others, their intention - _the village elders_. No good ever came out of putting together Hyuuga and Uchiha under the same roof, a fact proven time and again by countless failed trials in the name of negotiation. Did they not understand that every vain attempt reaped more bitterness? Or perhaps this was their agenda from the very beginning. They would kill off an entire clan if it suited their goals, something he could attest to himself.

Itachi tore through the piles of wood scattered across the floor to stand beside a medic crouched before a hunched figure cradling an injured arm. The man looked up to the newcomer but the young medic's focus remain concentrated on the halo of green chakra circling his hands. "How much longer, Ishida-san?" Konoha only had a handful of shinobi it could dispatch during crises. There was a gross paucity of shinobi that specialized in medicinal ninjutsu, something that should be worked on as pointed by the legendary Lady Tsunade. But, of course, the idea was fervently turned down by the elders who'd rather things burned than mend. _They should reconsider their priorities._

The green glow vanished as the boy turned to Itachi. "I'm sorry Itachi-san but you'll have to take him to the hospital. " A loud curse momentarily overwhelmed the buzz of panic and three sets of eyes floated to the source. A man stroked his leg to relieve the pain, swearing profanity when his efforts didn't work. Itachi's eyebrows dipped down in concern while the boy look apologetic. "Chakra burns are not my area of expertise." The Uchiha heir sighed. He couldn't possibly leave. As a future leader of the clan, he needed to stay, in solidarity with his people lest it reflected poorly on his family.

 _I resent the person who came up with the idea of public image._

It was an unsavory thought - to abandon him in his time of distress but it was one man against many, as familiar as they were, his hands were tied. It was times like these that he wished he wasn't born an heir. He hated conducting himself on others' terms.

And then he felt it, a tiny flicker of chakra caressing his softly with its warm digits. It was so subtle that one would easily overlook it but he found it just as he found her, in all its obscurity because a part of him would instinctively gravitate towards her. Despite the abundance of the silver of their irises and the blackness of their hair; _Hyuuga Hinata_ stood out. And he knew his breath shouldn't have hitched and his heart shouldn't have raced because it only invited trouble but like with many other things in his life, his hands were tied and his feet moved on their own. _On whose terms am I being conducted now? Hers or mine?_

Hinata was too occupied with another Hyuuga girl to notice him approach. Her only pointer was the girl's features contorting in fear and she turned, a flash of pleasant wonderment crossed her face. "Uchiha- san!"

"May I have a word with you, Hyuuga-san?" Hinata realized that there was a warning dancing in the other girl's eyes but she shook it off. This was the miracle that she'd been praying for since their encounter. She may not get another chance to talk to him so, she followed after him away from the Hyuugas. "A relation of mine received a chakra injury, I believe." She was slightly disappointed at his _business-like_ tone. "I would be grateful if you took a look at it."

Itachi took her to the distressed man with the painful leg. He openly glared at Hinata who shrank behind Itachi. "Oye _'tachi_. What do you think you're doing with a Hyuuga?"

"She is here to help."

Hesitantly, Hinata reached out a hand but the Uchiha pulled his leg away and hated her a little more. "I'd die before I'll ever need help from a Hyuuga."

The girl ignored his comment and activated her byakugan. "One of the tenketsus in his leg is blocked. There's chakra building behind it which explains the pain."

"Shut up, girl and go awa-"

"Can you fix it?" Itachi asked to which she nodded. He touched the man's shoulder in a calming gesture. "Uncle, she'll try to unlock a chakra point in your leg. It will dull your pain okay? Please let her help you."

"I don't need her help and I don't need you telling me what to do." He directed his anger towards him for a moment before returning to glaring at her.

"Uncle, she ma-"

"Shut up boy and leave me be." Itachi sighed. His uncle was known for his relentlessness throughout the clan. He was one of the most stubborn people Itachi had met in his life and it was this stubbornness to cling to life that had sailed him through a trying shinobi career despite his less than satisfactory prowess. Only a doujutsu could change his mind once made up. Itachi was ready to surrender.

"Uchiha Ganko. Promoted to captain five years back for intercepting an unidentified man trying to sneak into the academy." Hinata began and Itachi was surprised that she recognized the older male. "The person was later discovered to be a nukenin planning a terrorist attack to blackmail the hokage into meeting his demands. _Forty_ - _three_ children were saved that day including a Hyuuga - _me_ to be specific." This time, when she stretched her arms towards his leg, he didn't pull away, perhaps out of curiosity to see what she was trying to pull. Her fingers crept to his knee and although his thoughts followed her every moment, they went a little easy judging the girl's motive. "So' this is me returning the favor because the Hyuuga doesn't like owing the Uchiha." A sharp prick of chakra uncoiled the pain concentrated below his joint. Relief washed over him, a dull ache throbbed behind. His hateful scowl had a touch of softness to it now. It was a lesson taught to her by all the egotistical men in her life. Stubbornness and pride went hand in hand. If it didn't hurt their pride, it didn't hurt _them_. " We're even now, Ganko-san."

He huffed. "Of course I saved you lot. The Hyuuga is too high and mighty to bother with common public." He walked away with a slight limp, nose high up enough to puncture the air. Hinata decided not to feel offended. It would be hypocritical when his remarks paled against the crudeness the Hyuuga spewed about the other noble clan.

She peeked at Itachi from beneath her dark eyelashes sheepishly and released an inaudible 'eep' under the attention focused on her. He brought out a whole different side of her with contradicting emotions clashing wildly. She'd be bursting with confidence one moment and the next would reduce her to a stuttering, stumbling mess. Hinata was the type who'd rather not catch an eye, blending in with the background aided by her uninteresting persona. To the Hyuuga, she was a disappointment, to her team, she was a meek weirdo in baggy clothes. To the village, she was a below average shinobi with a heavy title. But these attributes didn't define her. There was so much more to her than these labels whispered into the ears. Hanabi said that she was an exceptional cook. Her team often pushed her before Kurenai when they wanted a day off because she was good at convincing. Sakura liked her ointments, said they were in high demand, often tried to convince her to join the medical corps because she had propensity for healing ninjutsu. And Hinata wanted Itachi to see for himself that she was not the hopeless cause people made her out to be. She just convinced a stubborn arse to cooperate with her, didn't she?

But curse her shy nature that came in the way of everything she tried to achieve.

It was uncomfortable being scrutinized by him with a stretch of silence hanging over them. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water but her treacherous words abandoned her in her time of need. She shuffled through her mind to come up with something to say, anything!

"You weren't at the academy that day, when this occurred. "

Hinata let the words process, impressed by his sharp memory.

It was in this moment of clarity that it dawned on her how pathetic she had been chasing after a fantasy plucked out of one of the cheap romances she had turned to when life proved to be less intriguing. _A handsome protagonist too perfect for humanity falls for a pitiful damsel, sweeps her off her feet and walks with her into the sunset with their fingers intertwined._ Silly her, entertaining dreams while he had his eyes set on bigger things. He would keep track of her every move - _his enemy_ \- as per the requirements of warfare. And she had made a fool out of herself, acting like a love-struck idiot. Typical, foolish Hinata. "You would know that, wouldn't you?"

The bitterness in her tone confused Itachi but he brushed it off as something he imagined."I remember Sasuke being suspicious since you didn't show up that day. He thought that Hyuuga had something to do with it. Of course he was proven wrong."

"I see." Could he be lying? Could she trust his word? But he had no reason to deceive her. There was nothing he could want from her, she had nothing to offer. He had not expressed interest in her either, helped her out just for the sake of it. So there was no question of whether or not to trust him. He was still an Uchiha though and she should steer clear of his way. " Well if that is all Uchiha-san t-then I'll be taking my l-leave."

It was a milestone - turning away from him. She had already concluded that she didn't interest him in any way then why did he look her way like this? Why did it make her heart ache and her sight blur with tears? _If this is the right thing to do than why does it hurt so much?_

"Hinata-san."

 _Damn you Uchiha Itachi._ She swallowed a painful knot. Damn him to hell for calling her out like this, relishing her name on his lips. This was a low blow. "Uchiha-san. I would r-rather we didn't associate unless absolutely necessary."

The look of betrayal would forever be ingrained in every cell of her brain. "Was it something I said?" He shouldn't look this hurt when he didn't want any of this.

"S-should it be?" Hinata patted herself for not breaking down right there and then. "Like I s-said we Hyuuga don't like owing Uchiha s-so this is me r-returning the favor."

 _Please put me out of my misery and just don't say anything._

"I see." His eyes were glazed over and he looked as if he were somewhere distant. And Kami knew had she been born someone else, someone not Hyuuga, she'd go there with him. "We're even than I guess."

No, they'd never be even. He owed her a heart. "We're even." She smiled sadly.

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Shisui softly closed the paper door behind him, containing light and laugh inside. He crept to the lone figure at the far end of veranda, staring off into the distance. Wood groaned under his feet as he settled beside him. "Auntie is bringing out dangos. You should go in there before everyone else finishes it."

The night was spiced with a touch of jasmine. It was warm like first rays of sun but he could taste the chill too still clinging to the night. Winter's last whiffs were overwhelmed by the loud chirps of crickets. The breeze that stirred Itachi's unkempt locks smelled like freshly cut grass. "I'm not in the mood."

It would be a lie if Shisui said that he was indifferent to his cousin's suffering just because he decided to not confront him about it. But he hated having to watch Itachi spiral down the path of silence and seclusion when the entire clan was making merry at his expense. He wanted to tell the other Uchiha that it was better this way, that he was better off without the Hyuuga girl but Itachi was young and dealing with his first heart break. They tended to last longer. "Everyone's asking about you. Isumi's here too. I've heard that there's been talks about getting you two engaged." Itachi stiffened beside him. "You lucky bastard getting a girl right off the bat and here I am getting rejected left and righ-"

"Shisui."

The boy knew this tone of his, the gong of conclusion. Itachi was a respectful young man but Shisui knew better to argue when he was like this. And at any other moment he wouldn't but desperate times called for desperate measure even if he wasn't that desperate. Or none at all. Itachi had sulked long enough. "Look man I know it sucks but this is what I used to tell you about being young. You have your heart thrown around like shuriken during target practice. It's just a phase. It'll pass."

Itachi wanted to tell him to not undermine his feelings like that. It was not one of his teenage flings. But he wouldn't know that when the first girl he took an interest in didn't look his way twice. _Literally_. For his own sake, he hoped it was just a phase. "So... since you're an expert at it, you'll help me out with Isumi? If I am rejected only after a couple of sentences, I guess I have a lot of work at my hands. I would at least like to know how to have a decent conversation with my future bride. "

" _Whoa whoa_. Easy there, man. You were rejected not declared terminal. You don't have to marry the first girl your folks push your way."

"It is in the best interest of the clan."

"Who cares?"

"I can at least name a dozen."

Shisui sighed. "If the elders want it that bad then they should do it. It's still just rumors. Uncle didn't hint at any such thing."

"I'm not sure if Isumi is going to appreciate that comment." Itachi pointed.

Shisui scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "You're not going to tell on your old friend, are you?"

Itachi smirked. "No promises." Shisui laughed. Eventually he convince him to retire to the dining room where Mikoto had saved them some dangos and talked restlessly about Isumi. Itachi knew for a fact that his mother wouldn't have been as affectionate while talking about Hinata as she was with the other girl. So, he guessed it really was better this way. _What was I even thinking entertaining thoughts about courting her? She is a Hyuuga._

With Isumi, he would eventually forget her. She was nice and kind from what he'd heard. He could live with that.

But when he went to bed, his thoughts strayed back to Hinata.

 _It'll pass_. He told himself. _It is just a phase._

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 **Leave a review if it isn't too much trouble.**

 **TAYYABALARAIB**


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